The Victoria Room

Mix high tea with the British Raj era, add a dash of opulence and a touch of class and you will find yourself at the Victoria Rooms in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Take yourself back in time and allow yourself to be waited on in style as you dine on mini morsels of cake goodness, tea that takes you to a place of yester-year.

Their high tea is served from 12-5 and there are three different levels.

Classic - $45 per head
Emerald - $55 per head
Sapphire - $60 per head
Diamond  - $65 per head

Each different High tea has a different alcohol served with it, pick which one you fancy!

All the waiters/ress' are very professional, attentive and dressed to impress.

Its such a lovely atmosphere, you will never want to leave!

Kayaking the Coast

There are no rapids to be found in this lake - but the kayaking is still great fun! We each carefully chose our vessels, the girls both opted for the stereotypical pink while Dean opted for the macho purple.

The waters were still, the sun was shining and there were no clouds in the sky. It was a perfect day and a perfect way to spend the day.

We hired the Kayaks through Aquafun at Avoca Beach (about an hour or so drive from Sydney, North) Being the thrifty frugal people we are, we managed to score a discount voucher for the day - so all up for 3 people it cost us $21, not too bad. However the standard prices are a little more expensive than this but still good value.

Per Person rates (at time of writing blog)

Adults (no concession)	$12	$18	$6
Children (6-15yrs)	$8	$12	$4
Family (2Adults 2 children)	$35	$50	$15

The inlet where you get to kayak is actually quiet big! There are a couple of side streams that run off the main body of water for you to venture down! Just keep an eye on the time - the hour hire creeps up fast!

We were able to find a secluded area down one of these side streams and laid back on our sturdy vessels and watch the world pass by (unless you're Dean and you fall in...twice).

High Tea at QVB

Everyone loves a little bit of luxurious indulgence, every now and then. What better way to indulge than a high tea in the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) Sydney.

The QVB is located in the centre of Sydney. With connecting thorough fares to all the major shopping districts (Pitt Street Mall, Myre, David Jones, Westfield and Center Point) the QVB is like the shopping heart of the city pumping underground avenues to all the high labeled brands and bargain shopping. Its arteries snake their way out through the underground train station (Townhall) and can easily transport you to the other side of the city (trains are frequent at about 3-8 min per train, depending on the direction - see Cityrail for details)

The QVB was the original shopping mecca of Sydney - home to the Sydney markets. The building was erected and complete close to 1890. The buildings elegance stirs as sense of what the 'old times' where like and a romance tenderly sashays it way through the corridors and is mimicked in the architecture.

If you are in Sydney around Christmas time, swing by the QVB and marvel at the massive Christmas tree that stands proudly in the centre of the building which is beautifully decorated is the finest Christmas trim.

The Team Room is located on the 3rd floor, take the old elevator to the top floor and you will find your self in high tea heaven. You will be greeted by the Host when you walk in then shown to your crisp white linen table by your personal waiter.

The tea menu is extensive and (for a tea lover) somewhat overwhelming! As we were indulging we went for the crème de la crème Champagne Afternoon Tea.

The tea ware is elegant Royal Doulton, and one can't help but feel a little posh sipping tea from the tea cup and conversing over the tiered cake stands full of mini sandwiches (made with organic breads and gluten free bread), mini morsels of sugary goodness, melt in your mouth macaroons and warm fluffy scones with thick fruit preserve and for those who dare, clotted cream.

After 90 minutes of indulgence, its nice to know you can stroll around Sydney afterwards, window shopping, and walking off all those delicious treats.

What types of high tea experiences are on offer? (These prices were taken from the website at the time this was published)

Traditional Afternoon Tea         39
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scones with 
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee  
Tea Selection included.  Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2      

Sparkling Afternoon Tea          44
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scones with 
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and a glass of Australian sparkling wine   
Tea Selection included.  Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2

Cocktail Afternoon Tea          51
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scones with 
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and served with a cocktail    
Tea Selection included.  Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2

Champagne Afternoon Tea          57
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries, scones with 
preserve and clotted cream, tea or coffee and a piccolo of French champagne  
Tea Selection included.  Tea for Connoisseurs additional $2

Gluten Free Afternoon Tea         
A set selection of finger sandwiches, petit fours, sweet and savoury pastries made with 
buckwheat, quinoa, chickpea flour and almond meal, tea or coffee.

Fernwood High Tea

Personally, if I had to choose between pretty dresses and sparkling diamonds for a day or, bungee jumping off a bridge into water and then dirt bike riding around sand dunes... I'd pick the later. But there is just something with me and 'high tea' that I just can’t pass on - Its super girly, incredibly dainty and somewhat sophisticate, all of which, I am not.

One Saturday, we strolled along to Fernwood High Tea at The Junction, Newcastle NSW. When I say it’s hidden... it is, nuzzled in a main street in suburbia, you may just well drive past it if you're not careful. The two story cottage oozes character and offers guests a 'shabby chic' decor welcoming. Everything is trimmed and draped with lace and vintage materials. Teacup sets poke out from gardens, pot plants and side tables. Attention to detail is the key to any high tea and Fernwood High Tea is very hard to fault.

The layout of the high tea is brilliant. There were four of us there, and we had our own private room, beautifully dressed and full of character. There were two other groups of people there also, each with their own private dining section - One outside in the romantic garden, the other inside in a separate room next to ours.

For me, what separated this high tea experience from others was the food and the order in which is came out. There were more savoury than sweet, which is perfect as we were there around lunch time (and I tend to be sugar free, so I prefer savoury) Each time a course came out I couldn't help but let out a little giggle - everything came in little tea cups or vintage glasses, brilliant!

The courses were managed really well - Allowing enough time to eat and chat. The service was prompt and friendly and the atmosphere was welcoming and relaxing.

Fernwood High Tea also have a Bed and breakfast attached, I look forward to staying there one day.

They were able to cater to my veggie-head Gluten free diet; everything was amazingly tasty and surprisingly filling.

What does it cost? At $38 a head it’s pretty good, I think it is spot on the money! The attention to detail, the quality of the food and the amount was all perfect.

How do you get there? The Junction is located in Newcastle, we drove - It’s about 2.5 hrs north of Sydney. You could catch the train to Newcastle and then bus into the junction, but I recommend a taxi or driving.

Thank you for having us Maria, at Fernwood High Tea.

High tea in the tree tops

Tea time? Then jump in your car or bike and head to Avoca! 

Cloaked in the surrounds of the high tree tops, the Avoca Tea House is a quaint and homely spot to relax and unwind with a good old cuppa!

As soon as you walk through the doors of the tea house you are greeted with a bouquet of mouth watering baking and fresh brewing tea.

We came for the 'high tea' experience, and we were not disappointed. Greeted by the owner, we were shown to our table that was laid with cornflower blue napkins and a personal tea pot and cup. 

Having allergies and diet requirements can be hard when eating out anywhere, but not here. When booking the high tea (at least 24hours notice is required as all the luscious treats are made fresh for you that day) I was asked for diet restrictions, and was extremely surprised and elated when I was told they would cater for my gluten free-veggie diet!

The food was perfect - fresh, well proportioned and wonderfully homemade and tasty! Normally gluten free treats tend to be awful and just not worth the indulgence - NOT HERE, AMAZING! If your a coeliac, feel at ease!

The non-gluten free, non-veggie option was just as impressive. Freshly made scones hot from the oven (mouth watering goodness) chocolate truffles, cucumber sandwiches and mini smoked salmon and cream cheese bites!

Both G-free/veggie and 'normal' high teas were amazing and very reasonably priced at $28pp and that is with bottomless tea!

So, lets talk tea... I love tea, and I have to say the tea that they use here is very nice indeed. On this occasion, we tried...

• Earl Grey Romantica (which I purchased, I'm a massive Earl Grey fan and as a very special person to me once said, have it black with just a dash of sugar! AMAZING)
• Organic Cinnamon Black (YUM!)
• Symphony
• Sundance

All in all, it was a great afternoon full of home made goodies, great company with friendly and devoted management and staff.

Head down to Avoca for a day on the weekend! Take your bathers, the beaches are amazing, and have a look around (on a side note there is a very charming little antique shop with the most brilliant art deco diamond rings I have ever seen - Avoca Beach Antiques and gifts.)

The Avoca Tea house doesn't have a website yet, but you can find their full menu and information on their FaceBook here.